Comments on Planning Application 132851/O

Land south of Hampton Dene Road Residential development (up to 120 dwellings) access, parking, public open space with play facilities and landscaping

Herefordshire cannot currently demonstrate a five year housing land supply. Planning policy for housing in the UDP must therefore be considered out of date. The emerging Core Strategy at this stage can only be given limited weight.
This planning application should therefore be determined with regard to the current housing land supply position and also whether the proposals would give rise to any adverse impacts, particularly having regard to the character and appearance of the area and increasing flood risk elsewhere.
The Parish Council are of the opinion that the proposal does affect the character and appearance of the area, and would lead to increased flood risk elsewhere, particularly the village of Hampton Bishop. These impacts significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the scheme (see also Home Farm appeal decision APP/W1850/A/13/2192461)

Flooding The village of Hampton Bishop is subject to continual surface water flooding. The main road (B4224), Rectory Road, Church Lane and Whitehall Road are all periodically (and, since December, frequently) impassable. When the River Wye and /or River Lugg are in spate, much of the village road and ditch system is below river level, protected only by the flood banks. It follows that the surface water has nowhere to go until the river levels drop.
Most of the surface water originates from the Hampton Park/Tupsley area of the City, and follows the natural gradient down the B4224 into the village.
As the applicant’s Flood Risk and Drainage report indicates the application site drains naturally to the east and south east towards the Lugg Valley and then the village of Hampton Bishop. Run-off from the site will only increase with creation of such a large built development. This will exacerbate the already severe flooding problem in Hampton Bishop. The applicant’s Flood Risk and Drainage report makes no assessment of the increased flood risk this will create elsewhere, i.e. Hampton Bishop. This is clearly contrary to national planning policy contained in para.103 of the NPPF, and policies S2, particularly paragraph 2; and DR4 of the Unitary Development Plan.
Character and Appearance of the Area The development will have a significant impact on the character and appearance of the area. The steep between the edge of the City and the River Lugg is a key element in the setting of Hereford when approaching from the east. This means the landscape to the east of the city has retained a relatively rural and tranquil character. The view from the East (Lugwardine area) across the Lugg Valley towards Hereford has a unique, rural, and very special character. Although the application includes some screening measures they would not be sufficient to prevent a significant change in the setting of the City and a significant interruption in to the rural and tranquil quality of this area. The site is identified as being High Sensitivity in the Council’s Urban Fringe Sensitivity Analysis (2010). Site is prominent within the above views and is seen as a modern intrusion into open countryside.
There are several important views from high level public points within the Wye Valley AONB west/northwest into Hereford. This development will have a detrimental effect on these views and planting which require many years to grow to a level to screen these views. Planting in itself will be a visual intrusion into the views which is out of character and inappropriate in the landscape.
Hampton Bishop Parish Council therefore opposes the application because it is contrary to policies S1; S7; DR4; LA2; and LA3 of the Unitary Development Plan.

SUPPLEMENTARY COMMENT
Submitted on 24th February 2014
Map 3.1 of the Urban Fringe Landscape Sensitivity Analysis shows the Gladman site within an area of High Landscape Sensitivity which indicates no potential for housing in the SHLAA.